Existing network file shares utilize hierarchical storage mechanisms represented by nested folders and files which creates a problem with navigation. The organization of the shares content is heterogeneous between different shares, as well as between individuals who manage subsections of the same shares. Given this inconsistency, intimate familiarity with the share is often needed for efficient navigation. To compound the issue, folder naming conventions often vary with the various people using a share. While shares are useful as archives, the side effect is that a person looking for something more currently relevant often has to wade through massive number of files and folders.
New navigation methods for computer network shares utilize collected data on share activity in order to present a more meaningful view of the shared spaces like showing more recent files or more relevant files that are associated with specific persons (opened or created by them recently). Even with this type of improvement navigation in the shared space is hard even when project names are known. There are often large numbers of files placed in complex folder structures with subsections maintained by a number of people who use various naming conventions for folder hierarchies and files.
What is needed is an improved mechanism for viewing such hierarchical structures using naming that is meaningful.